


First Snow

by WishingStarInAJar



Series: Ambassador Fluff [3]
Category: Original Work, Wakfu
Genre: F/M, Fluff, General fiction, Literature, Romance, Shipping, fan fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-07
Updated: 2015-12-07
Packaged: 2019-02-04 14:25:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12772956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WishingStarInAJar/pseuds/WishingStarInAJar
Summary: Alys enjoys her first snowfall in Bonta.





	First Snow

Thick covers shifted before slender fingers slowly wrapped around the edge to draw the softness somewhat back, revealing the sleepy turquoise colored eyes which refused to open at first.

It was cold. Very cold. Alys huddled away within the warm of the blankets after noticing her breath was visible when she exhaled, a shiver creeping in and causing her to shudder with an audible noise. Why was it so cold? She could only imagine it being the same in the rest of the house if her sleeping quarters felt like this; the thought alone didn’t entice her to leave the warmth of her bed.

Winter had come to Bonta, sooner than most had expected. With the defeat of Ogrest nearly half a year prior, the passing of the seasons returned to its natural course after a while of odd and abrupt shiftings of the weather. Frost had plagued the many streets of Bonta the last few weeks but the temperature didn't drop all that far down; if the sun shone, it was still fairly warm. It seemed that this night the weather finally decided to announce winter had truly arrived.

Alys rolled over while keeping the blankets tightly wrapped around herself, refusing to even stick a toe out before she glanced over towards the large window next to her bed as she wondered what was on the agenda for this day. She couldn’t lay in bed all day, that much was certain. At least she didn’t have any appointments or paperwork to fill out… Responsibilities were little to none this day. 

Her thought progress began to fade when she noticed the light falling in through the window was hurting her eyes, blinking as the world outside seemed much brighter than usual. She propped herself up on her elbows to see better and find out if she was wrong, the curtains drawn open like they mostly were as she would stargaze before dozing off to sleep. At first she squinted with her eyes to battle the brightness before her eyes grew large when the view she had grown used to had changed.

The many blue and orange tiled rooftops she could see from through her window were mostly hidden from sight underneath thick blankets of white, the streets suffering the same fate though some streets and paths were cleared to allow the people to walk and go about their business. Snow. 

Her warm breath fogged up the cold glass after she almost pressed her nose up against the window in awe, taking in the new sight. the excitement she felt grew with the many thoughts which began to run rampant in her head. The only time she had seen snow was during her visit to Frigost, an experience which did not give her the greatest of impressions of what winter could be like. Even though the situation was bleak then and there was no time to truly enjoy the first experience, she was intrigued by the cold white powder and how serene it could make a scenery. Not to mention the noise it made when she walked over it.

The blanket she refused to leave at first was cast aside rather quick when Alys gave into the want to re-experience snow during a more peaceful time and especially in a city she had come to love, hurrying through the top floor of the embassy upon bare feet to find something proper to wear. She wanted to venture out and take in the winter-like atmosphere while she had the chance.

The wooden floorboards were cold, urging Alys to hurry more and get dressed into something warmer before heading down to her office to gather her things and get ready. She didn’t exactly have clothes which were suitable for very cold weather but she would make due with what she had. It wasn’t long before she slipped on an overcoat while making her way down the final stairs, dressed and proper while trying to contain her excitement. It was almost embarrassing how much she felt like a child… a good thing she was alone, her gleeful smile kept to herself. 

The front door slowly opened before she stepped into the doorway and peered down upon the snow covered stairway leading up to her doorstep, blinking before she bent slightly through a knee to give the thick pack of snow on the top step a little prod. The snow was pushed down by the inspecting nudge, leaving a little dent upon the soft looking surface which caused her hidden wings to perk up a little along with the smile she had. She took a careful step down after closing and locking the front door and then another before she cast her eyes down the street to take in the view and atmosphere. 

It was very cold, more so than it was inside yet it didn’t seem to bother the inhabitants of the White City as the main street held quite a bit of life. The many Bontarian banners which lined the long street wore a layer of thin snow while the snow which hid the cobblestones showed traces of many different kinds of footsteps and trails of wheels. Several merchants were sweeping their area clean while others brushed or tapped the snow and icicles off their signs or awnings to be ready to receive customers; the snow came as a surprise to many, for good or worse.

Alys almost slipped down the stone stairs while she was distracted by the sights before she quickly tiptoed down the last two steps and moved forward to keep her balance and not make a tumble, her overcoat sweeping across the snow. She shivered when she stood steady with a rapid beating heart and lightly panted, yet her smile remained. The snow crunched under her feet when she took a few steps back to gaze up the tall storehouse which was her home and work space, the sight of the building being covered in snow making her chest swell with a certain sense of pride. It looked beautiful… everything was beautiful, no matter the cold. 

She blew out some air to watch the white puffs while adjusting her coat to stay warm the best she could before turning around to make her way down the street and take a walk to soak up the atmosphere. The whole city was preparing and reacting to the first snow, the very first to fall after what was more than a hundred years and she didn't want to miss it. Perhaps she should drop in the bazaar for a visit although she knew Joris to be occupied this day. Still, it would be nice to see Kerubim, Luis and perhaps Atcham and share this moment in history with them. 

Making up her mind, the Eliatrope began steering herself to the part of the city where the Shushu Luis had settled down and acted as a shop for Kerubim, taking her time to not miss anything happening around her. A busy city like Bonta wouldn’t quiet down so quickly, not even with a pack of snow covering everything. Did Amakna or Sadida get some snow this day as well? Would they at all?

The wonder was answered with a sudden unexpected chill. Alys stopped herself from stumbling forward after it felt like someone firmly smacked her across the back of her head until she could feel the cold seep through the fabrics of her veil, a chilling moist pecking the bare skin of her neck. Voices could be heard behind her, startled ones which were tainted with uncertainty while youthful laughter sounded along a little further away. 

Alys shuddered with a visible shaking of her whole body after the snowball hit her square in the back of her head before she glanced back to see where it had come from. Her wide open eyes fell upon a group of children standing on the outskirts of the park connected to the Academic Archives, the snow around them trampled or packed together in wall-like formations. Several children ran the moment the Eliatrope looked their way, fleeing to escape any possible wrath after one of their snowballs went off course and hit the unfortunate bystander. 

The look of bewilderment she held changed to a warm smile before she shook the snow from the folds of her veil, bent down and dug her bare fingers into the snow while keeping a watchful eye on the remaining children. It was so very cold; it melted a little to her touch as she collected two hands full of snow and pressed them together, taking note of how some of the children picked up on what she was planning to do while others still looked uncertain. A few quickly squatted down to haphazardly knead some snow together before ducking to avoid the incoming snowball the ambassador flung their way after she rose back up to her feet. 

A war broke out the moment Alys’ snowball made impact against the chest of a Pandawa boy, one-sided at first as all the present children began pelting the Eliatrope with all they could muster with a few excited sounding battlecries. Even after she disappeared through a zaap and reappeared further away on the snow covered grass field to avoid most of the incoming snowballs and caused a few of the children to waver in awe, the fight was on.

\--------------------~*~--------------------

No matter the winter-like weather, the sun was shining and illuminating the many rooms which were filled from top to bottom with uncountable bookcases and even more stacks of papers and tomes. The tall windows of the Academic Archives granted a good view of the winter scenery, distracting the more adventurous minded individuals while they should be focusing on the task bestowed upon them.

“Geraint, stop loitering and help me get these archives up to the fifth level. They are too heavy for me to carry alone,” the young Huppermage said with a strain in her voice, the stack of tomes she rested against her chest indeed quite a heavy weight for someone as spindly as her. Her hazel eyes were upon her brother which had wandered off after the view outside caught his attention, peering past the brown hair which framed her face and almost covered her eyes towards him while waiting for a response.

She saw him turn around with a shrug of his shoulders before he motioned with a hand towards the window he had stood in front for the duration she tried to stack and lift the pile of tomes she held, hearing him say while he casually leaned against the windowsill” come on, Genny, we haven’t had snow in like… forever.”

“Geraint…” 

Her lecturing tone hardly phased the male Huppermage, having heard it too often to know she couldn’t urge him even if she were to try. He patted the windowsill with a beckoning smile and glint in his eyes while tilting his head a little,” have a seat with me and enjoy the view before it all melts. Not like those dusty old tomes are going anywhere. Those kids over there are having a snowball fight; we could watch and bet on who wins. How about it?”

Genevie dramatically sighed while tearing her gaze away from her brother with a crinkle of disapproval across her nose, not wishing to fall for his tempting offers and charming facial expressions; he mostly knew how to get his way. They had things to do however… and luckily she was the more sensible and responsible of the two. “You’re hopeless…” she sighed once more before she carefully adjusted the stack she held and stuck her chin up in the air,” fine, be lazy. I’ll arrange all this on my own while you watch some kids play in the snow. You will be doing my chores tomorrow though.”

A soft disappointed ‘aww’ left Geraint before he nodded with a chuckle and crossed his arms over his chest,” sure, sure, chores tomorrow. That’s fair. Thanks, little sister.”

“Still ten minutes older than you.”

He laughed amused while feeling the cold glass against his back as he continued to lean against the windowsill, watching his twin sister leave the large room to head upstairs before he turned his attention to what was going on outside. This wasn’t his first time seeing snow but it was a first to see Bonta being covered in it. How he wished he could go outside and enjoy it properly. Maybe later…

The children playing in the park which spread out before the large building held him captive for a while, trying to figure out if there were teams or if it was a free for all snowfight. Apparently it was girls versus boys from what he could tell, a little too far away to be certain but he trusted his eyesight well enough.

One of his eyebrows rose when a strange shimmer could be seen among the children, a flicker of light. He leaned closer to the glass while squinting his eyes to try and see better, the flicker disappearing far too quickly to make sense of it until he noticed one of the children nearby the flickers of light was quite tall. It wasn’t a child… it was an adult. Female. “Alys,” he whispered in bafflement, realizing what the flickers of lights were; zaaps. The smile he held became intrigued and mischievous after he recognized the woman he admired from afar, muttering as he made himself comfortable” this just got a whole lot more interesting.”

The urge to be outside became stronger with the knowing the Eliatrope was out there having fun with the children, yet he kept himself by the window to continue to watch. Alys had chosen the girls’ side in the snowball fight, at times allowing the younger girls on her team to use the zaaps to throw a snowball through to get some hits in or deflect incoming snowballs to protect the girls. They were obviously having fun, the boys’ team being relentless and playful while the girls mostly hid away behind the makeshift walls and heaps of snow to continue their assault. He couldn’t hear it but he could imagine the laughter.

“Who exactly wished for these charts?”

The hoarse and thoughtful sounding voice didn’t manage to penetrate the focus Geraint was in as he intently stared at the snowfight and the female Eliatrope until another voice made him aware that he was no longer alone in the bookcase filled room. 

“Master Hersh, maester.”

Geraint quickly pushed himself away from the window after he recognized the voices, his large eyes shooting around in flaring panic for anywhere to take cover behind or to use as an escape route yet it was already too late. Two figures, tall and short, walked in through the large open doorway before Geraint’s wide-eyed gaze met the inquisitive gaze of the famed Bontarian master and had him freeze on the spot rather than try and get away.

“Ahh, Hersh…” the elderly and tall man next to Joris said with a certain reminiscence as he entered the room,” I should have expected such with today.” 

Knowing he was seen and cornered, Geraint gave a small respective bow towards the two arrivals before stammering,“ Maester Dormu, I uhh...”

The young voice caused the wise looking Huppermage to slow down in his already slow tread, his clouded pale eyes turning to where the voice came from while Joris kept close and beside him, the gentle expression Dormu held upon his long bearded face remaining. “I figured you would be with your sister, Geraint, or have you both finished with ordering the archives on level five?” he asked with a certain observance, easily recognizing the voice of his pupil. He also picked up on the nervous edge Geraint had greeted him with.

“We, uhh, we are still working on that. Genevie and I,” the young man said with a visible cringing,” still working, yes. Well, not at the moment. I was watching the, uhh… the first snow. Yes.”  He was, in a certain way. His eyes shifted to the view behind him before he looked back to his mentor and master Joris, saying with an awkward smile while he took a step forward and nodded to the window,” honestly, maester Dormu, you should see it; it is quite a sight.”

The looks he got in turn would have been comical if his words hadn’t been rather inconsiderate. Dormu rose his thick bushy eyebrows ever so slightly at what Geraint had said while Joris’ head tilted slightly down, the look in his visible eyes turning a bit harder to make the Huppermage apprentice aware of what he had said without much of a thought.

Geraint swallowed as it dawned upon him though he realized it the moment after he finished his sentence. Stupid. Too distracted. “Right…” he said before he cleared his throat and began to walk to hide the fact he was breaking a sweat with embarrassment,” I best be heading to Genevie and get those tomes in order.”

“A wise decision, my boy,” Dormu chuckled, not seeming all that bothered that his pupil had forgotten about his blindness; it wasn’t a first,” you can watch the first snow to your heart’s content after you have helped your sister.”

The old maester turned a little when the sound of Geraint’s footsteps indicated he was taking his leave, hearing him say with the embarrassment he tried to hide,” yes, maester Dormu, thank you, maester Dormu, please excuse me...” Geraint hurried out of the room to begin scaling the stairs towards the fifth floor of the archives to find his sister and help her with their shared tasks, a deep sigh escaping him; seemed he would miss out on admiring his secret crush for a while longer. His imagination was sure to distract him for the remainder of the day.

Joris looked after the apprentice before Dormu’s voice brought his thoughts back to the matter at hand. 

“You should be able to find the charts in the second bookcase on the left, master Joris. They are kept within a leather container from what I remember.” There were plenty of bookcases present within the room but they all stood nicely aligned and several long rows next to the windows. Although blind, the maester remembered and envisioned directions and places quite well, moving about like he could see… as long as it was in places he knew.

“Very much appreciated,” Joris humbly said before he made his way to the row of bookcases Dormu had verbally pointed out, his eyes searching for a leather container which held the charts the scholar and meteorologist had requested for. Joris wasn’t usually an errant boy, but Hersh wasn’t the youngest anymore and the Archives were not exactly close to the palace. This was the first snow in more than a century time and it was therefore an important event in Bontarian history; Joris felt it was required to offer his assistance after learning about what Hersh was planning and had therefore headed out retrieve the charts so everything could be properly documented. 

It didn’t take long to find the cylinder container Dormu had mentioned, seeing it stick out from over the top of the eleventh shelf with a red lint. Joris pulled a ladder closer to reach the high shelf before scaling it swiftly and carefully pulling the leather container free from the stack of parchments it was placed within before blowing some dust away to be able to read the inscription on the top of the sealed off cylinder. It was exactly what he was looking for.

He nodded in personal congratulations and relief for finding it so easily before looking down the row of bookcases, the aisle he was in empty except for himself. Dormu was waiting for him, presumably still in the same spot where Joris had left him and where they found Geraint standing at attention like some tightly wound spring. What exactly had captivated the young man to be so heavily distracted from his duties, not to mention nervous when he was discovered? 

Joris turned his gaze towards the tall window on his right while holding the cylinder container under an arm, having a good view of the outside world thanks to the ladder he stood upon. He could see the grandiose park which laid before the Academic Archives and the top of statue of the famed archivists Masters Hoot, Screech, Pygmy and Barney. Movement in the park drew his attention, causing him to linger on the ladder to take in the sight of children playing in the snow. It wasn’t until he recognized a very familiar appearance that he became interested in outside’s happenings and a smile formed in the shadow of his hood.

The recognizable blue of his lover’s attire gave her away in the far distance through the cyan hue of her zaaps helped along with that. He hadn’t expected her to be all the way out here in this part of the city but he was pleased to see she was experiencing the first snow of Bonta in her own way. It was quite a sight indeed, like Geraint said it was... Was the Huppermage apprentice watching her? Joris smirked at thought; he already suspected that the young man had an interest in the Eliatrope ambassador. He was no threat however.

He watched for a little while longer to take in the sight and store it away among his many memories before he climbed down and sought for the old maester, finding him enjoying the warmth of the sunlight which fell in through the many windows which were lined up along the long wall. The man looked incredibly wise as he stood among the glowing dust specks, his long flowing beard and robes almost glowing in the light. Joris held a great deal of respect for the elderly Huppermage, especially with all he had gone through in the past. “Thank you for your assistance, maester,” he said with a slight incline of his head, albeit knowing the maester couldn’t see it.

“It is my pleasure, master Joris,” Dormu said with a growing smile and turned his blind eyes to where he guessed Joris was,” please give my regards to Hersh.”

“Of course.”

\--------------------~*~--------------------

Red cheeks and noses with broad grins and smiles were the result of the hours long play in the snow, but it was growing late and so an end came to the fun. The sun was beginning to make its way down towards the far horizon, almost touching it and indicating it was time for most of the children to return home. Alys wove goodbye to the last few children which took their leave after one of the parents came to fetch their Iop daughter, watching them disappear among the crowd and the snow covered buildings.

The whole experience had her forget about her initial idea to visit the bazaar and while she could still drop in for a visit, the long time she spent in the snow had made her feel cold, her clothes wet and chilly; she’d rather return home.

The many lanterns in the streets were lit one by one by several city workers to keep the darkness of the incoming evening at bay, the warm glow causing the snow to sparkle like stars or diamonds as the Eliatrope made her way back to the embassy she erected nearby the palace. Bonta had been a beautiful sight during the daytime with the clear blue sky, the sun, the smoke rising from the many chimneys and the thick white snow but now that the sunlight fading, a whole new world started to become visible. The smells of food and spices along with burning wood and the glow of the many lanterns added a whole different and new atmosphere to the winter-like scenery which had befallen Bonta.

Although shivering with clattering teeth, Alys was soaking it all up and enjoying the change the best she could. It wasn’t a once in a lifetime opportunity, not if the seasons had finally settled and ran their natural course, but it was her first and she made it last.

It was almost dark when she finally arrived at the place she called home, her numb fingers having some trouble with getting the key out and push it into the lock before she closed the door behind her with a deep elevated sigh. Although this day had been incredibly nice, she couldn’t wait to stoke a fire, get into some dry clothes and make herself comfortable in front of the fireplace to warm up and enjoy the rest of the evening. Maybe have a bath? 

Alys slowed in her climbing of the stairs when she took note of the glow which was visible from under the closed door leading into her office and living space, frowning slightly with a tilt of her head before she finished her ascend and turned the doorknob to peek in. She was met by a wave of warmth the moment the door opened, the fire in the hearth already lit and beckoning her inside. It took her by utter surprise, having expected to return to a cold dark home yet it was all but cold or dark.

She opened her damp chilly overcoat to pry it off as she made her way further inside before finding the one she was suspecting to be behind the warm welcome sitting on the sofa. His smile was highlighted by the glow of the fire yet he didn’t say anything to let Alys take it all in. Instead he leaned towards the side table he had moved closer to the sofa before he turned back to the Eliatrope to hold out a mug to her with cocoa flavored gobball milk, still hot as steam rose from it.

Her face brightened up at the sight of him being present in their little sanctuary before her wet coat dropped carelessly on the floor and she crawled onto the sofa, creeping up close to the Bontarian master to accept the mug from him and steal some of his warmth along with it.

“Did you enjoy the first snow?” he asked after feeling her cold lips and nose press against his hidden cheek and reached up to undo the pin which kept her veil wrapped around her head, slowly unwrapping the damp cloth to be rid of the cold which was clinging onto her while she nuzzled up against him like he was an oversized teddy bear.

A serene happy smile was visible upon her face, a smile which grew after she took a careful sip from the hot beverage he had mindfully prepared and murmured softly while smiling with love and appreciation to the one who had watched her playing in the snow,“ I have now.” She truly enjoyed it.


End file.
